Doan's Hollow Cemetery
Doan's Hollow Cemetery is one of Norfolk County's oldest cemeteries. Located northwest of Port Dover, Ontario on Red Kelly Line the cemetery is a designated United Empire Loyalist burial site. Doan's is named for the Hollow's first settler Elijah Doan. The land was given for the purpose of a public burial site in 1798 by Capt. William Park. The property was the site of Woodhouse S.S. # 2 schoolhouse which was also used as a church for those of the Methodist faith in the area.
Doan's Hollow cemetery is one of a very few cemeteries left that has a witches gate at its entrance. Much like a modern revolving door (but rectangular in shape) the gate was thought to protect the graveyard from witches who according to superstition could not turn square corners.
In the late 1950's many of the gravestones were moved and set in 2 long straight rows for the purpose of safeguarding the stones from vandalism and facilitating the upkeep of the land. It is thought that many of the stones did not survive the move and some inhabitants were interred without grave markers.
External links
Video Footage taken at Doan's Hollow Cemetery